Shloka 9

The Slaying of Bala–Nāmuci

Devanagari script

शक्तिभिर्मुसलैर्भल्लैर्बहुभिः शरवृष्टिभिः । दारुणैः खड्गपातैश्च तथा चक्रपरःश्वधैः

Transliteration

śaktibhirmusalairbhallairbahubhiḥ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ | dāruṇaiḥ khaḍgapātaiśca tathā cakraparaḥśvadhaiḥ

Translation

శక్తులు, ముసలాలు, పదునైన భల్లాలతో; అనేక బాణవృష్టులతో; భయంకర ఖడ్గప్రహారాలతో; అలాగే చక్రాయుధం మరియు పరశు దెబ్బలతో—

Word by Word

• śaktibhiḥ: with spears/powers
• śaktibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• musalaiḥ: with clubs
• musalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: musala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• bhallaiḥ: with darts/arrows (bhalla)
• bhallaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhalla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• bahubhiḥ: with many
• bahubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the instruments)

• śara-vṛṣṭibhiḥ: with showers of arrows
• śara-vṛṣṭibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘शराणां वृष्टिः’ = shower of arrows

• dāruṇaiḥ: with dreadful/terrible
• dāruṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• khaḍga-pātaiḥ: with sword-strokes
• khaḍga-pātaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक) + pāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘खड्गस्य पातः’ = sword-strokes/falls of swords

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक

• tathā: also, likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• cakra-paraśvadhaiḥ: with discs and axes
• cakra-paraśvadhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + paraśvadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (battle description; specific speaker not explicit in the provided single verse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: शक्तिभिर्मुसलैर्भल्लैः → शक्तिभिः + मुसलैः + भल्लैः; शरवृष्टिभिः → शर-वृष्टिभिः; खड्गपातैश्च → खड्ग-पातैः + च; चक्रपरःश्वधैः → चक्र-परश्वधैः (dvandva).

FAQs

What is the main idea conveyed by this verse?

It vividly catalogs the weapons used in a fierce combat scene—spears, clubs, darts, arrow-showers, sword-blows, discus-weapons, and axes—highlighting the intensity of the battle.

Does this verse teach a specific theological or bhakti doctrine?

Not directly. This is primarily descriptive (a martial catalogue) rather than doctrinal; any devotional or ethical teaching would depend on the surrounding narrative context in the chapter.

Why do Purāṇic texts include detailed lists of weapons?

Such lists are a conventional poetic device to intensify imagery, communicate the scale of conflict, and portray the formidable power of the combatants within the narrative.